May 14, 2008 — Louis Farrakhan will be one of the speakers at African Liberation Day celebrations on St. Thomas May 25.
The 75-year-old Nation of Islam leader, who was the driving force behind the 1995 Million Man March, will be joined on the Legislature grounds podium by two Virgin Islanders: Gerard Emanuel and Kuumba Leba Ola-Niyi.
African Liberation Day (ALD) has been celebrated in the Virgin Islands annually for the last 30 years.
ALD was an outgrowth of the 1958 Conference of Independent African States held in Accra, Ghana. Some years later the V.I. Legislature passed a law authorizing the V.I. governor to declare May 25 African Liberation Day in the Virgin Islands.
Emanuel will represent the Student Coalition for Better Government, a group he formed to support the social, economic and political interests of young professional Virgin Islanders. Ola-Niyi, a teacher, was one of the prime movers in establishing the annual celebration.
Along with his political and religious pursuits, Farrakhan is a accomplished concert violinist.
Senate President Usie Richards, in announcing the celebrations, and in particular Farrakhan's participation, said, "This is only fitting, because during this week of celebration we will be afforded the opportunity to listen and to share our experiences as Africans in the diaspora."
Back Talk Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.
